Torrey Pines: Manager Charlie Poole an inspiration

Torrey Pines was losing to Corona Del Mar and Falcons coach Brennan Dean had just called a timeout, hoping to spark life into his team during the championship consolation match at the Tournament of Champions.

Dean uttered a game plan to his team. The discouraged, disheartened girls partially listened.

Should Poole act, or shouldn’t he? Would Torrey Pines even notice? Would they even care? Somehow, it didn’t matter to the 18-yr old team manager.

He rose from his seat and thrust his hands on the ground — feet arching like the blades on a windmill — performing a trick.

“Ooh. Bad time for a cartwheel,” Bob Poole, Charlie’s father, said to Jud Buechler, both of them watching from the bleachers.

Reilly Buechler’s father turned to Bob and responded, “No. That was the perfect time for a cartwheel.”

Possibly. For a moment, Charlie’s gesture brought smiles to the players’ faces, briefly lightening up the somber mood that poisoned the air.

Smart kid.

In two years as manager with Torrey Pines, Charlie has unknowingly delivered bits of relief — such as that — to the volleyball team.

Pretty remarkable for a kid with autism, a mental condition characterized by great difficulty in communicating with others and using language and abstract concepts.

“Char is a pure soul,” Falcons coach Brennan Dean said.

“He reminds us what’s really important in life and reminds us to find life’s simple joys every single day, which doesn’t have to be a CIF win. We know that he is autistic and he has sensitivity issues to touch, yet he still finds joy in life.”

Charlie’s responsibilities include filling water bottles for the girls, packing plastic bags with ice, shagging loose volleyballs scattered around the court and occasionally sweeping the floor with a giant broom.

And he eagerly crosses them off his to-do list at the end of the night when he’s finished.

The girls, however, see him as a comedian, entertainer, stress reliever, brother and the heart and soul of the team, who happens to perform managerial duties.

“Whenever you’re frustrated, you just look at him. He smiles at you and you can’t help but put a smile on your face,” middle blocker Katelyn Cuff said. “He’s definitely a part of our family and there for moral support.”

You can catch Charlie belting out the most popular tunes on the billboard 100 — anything from Taylor Swift’s “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” to Flo Rida’s “Right Round” — at any moment during practice.

“Charlie’s so fun to be around,” said outside hitter Madison Dutra.

“Our practices are usually very focused and very intense but Charlie will say something funny or sing randomly during drills that makes us all laugh and eases that intensity a little bit. He sometimes reminds us to have some fun in practice.”

He is the Sheriff, too.

“He won’t allow them to cuss,” Dean said laughing.

“He won’t allow them to do anything dangerous. He points out any unsafe activities, keeps them on their toes and grounded.”